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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-09 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
• UGREEN Headphone Adapter — biggest strength: Apple MFi certification plus in-line control support, so your existing 3.5mm headset's mic and buttons keep working on a Lightning iPhone.
• UGREEN Headphone Adapter — biggest trade-off: It's one adapter, not a multi-pack, and it won't fit USB-C iPads or the iPad mini 6.
• Seulliya Apple MFi Certified — biggest strength: A 32-bit RISC-V DAC chip rated at 95dB SNR with up to 48kHz sampling, aimed squarely at music, podcasts and audiobooks.
• Seulliya Apple MFi Certified — biggest trade-off: It explicitly does not support call or mic functions, which rules it out as a headset adapter.
• Pick UGREEN if you take calls, join meetings, or want one adapter for headphones and car aux.
• Pick Seulliya if you mainly listen — music, audiobooks, gym sessions — and want a spare cable on hand.
This is the adapter I'd hand someone who lives in 3.5mm headphones but carries a Lightning iPhone. UGREEN's Lightning-to-3.5mm dongle is Apple MFi certified, which in plain terms means it's built around genuine Apple chips and connects without the "accessory not supported" nag. It supports up to 48kHz, 24-bit audio output with noise-reduction circuitry, and — this is the part that matters most here — it handles in-line control. Plug-and-play, no settings to fiddle with.
The build is where UGREEN leans hard: a Hi-Q aluminum alloy shell in grey, a nylon-braided cable, enameled copper conductors and a PVC jacket underneath. UGREEN rates the bending lifespan at 15,000+ cycles. At 21 grams and roughly 3.94 inches long, it's small enough to leave attached to a cable or drop in a pocket. It also carries a limited warranty.
Compatibility is broad on the Lightning side: iPhone 14 Pro Max down through 14, 13, 12, 11, XS, XR, X, 8 Plus, 7 and SE 2020, plus iPads with Lightning including iPad 9, iPad mini, iPad Air and older iPad Pro models. Note the two gaps — it does not work with iPad mini 6 or any iPad Pro with a USB-C port.
Seulliya Apple MFi Certified: Who It's For
Seulliya's adapter is a music-first device, and the spec sheet says so plainly. It's Apple MFi certified — Seulliya points buyers to Apple's official MFi site to verify the chip — and it centers on a high-performance 32-bit RISC-V DAC chip running at 125MHz with 95dB SNR. Sampling goes up to 48kHz. The stated goal is minimizing distortion and noise for music, podcasts and audiobooks.
The honest catch: Seulliya states directly that the adapter does not support call or mic functions. So if you're hunting for something to use with a headset on meetings, this isn't it. It's for listening only.
The cable is flexible TPE, chosen for bend resistance and everyday durability rather than the metal-and-braid look UGREEN uses. It ships as a 1-pack in white — Seulliya frames the single unit as a value set meant to be your spare, or your one cable that lives in the car or the gym bag. Setup is plug-and-play: Lightning into the phone, 3.5mm device into the adapter, no apps.
Compatibility covers Lightning iPhones from 7 up through the 14 series, and a long list of Lightning iPads — iPad Pro 12.9-inch (1st and 2nd gen), iPad Pro 10.5 and 9.7, iPad Air 1st through 3rd gen, iPad 4th through 9th gen, and iPad mini 1st through 5th gen. Again, USB-C devices are out.
Who should skip it? Anyone who needs the inline mic on their wired headset — a hard no based on Seulliya's own note. And anyone who wants a braided, aluminum-bodied cable, since the TPE build is a different priority.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for pure music listening → Seulliya Apple MFi Certified. The 32-bit RISC-V DAC and 95dB SNR are the specs it's built around.
• Best for durability feel → UGREEN Headphone Adapter. Aluminum alloy shell, nylon braid, and a 15,000+ bend rating.
• Best for a spare in the car or gym bag → Seulliya Apple MFi Certified. It's positioned as a value single-pack you can park somewhere permanently.
• Best for travel-light carry → UGREEN Headphone Adapter. At 0.2 x 0.39 x 3.94 inches and 21 grams, it disappears on a keyring or in a pocket.
• Best for older iPad owners → Seulliya Apple MFi Certified. Its iPad list reaches back further, including 4th-gen iPad and 1st-gen iPad mini.
• Best for car aux use → UGREEN Headphone Adapter. Same in-line control logic applies if your car stereo uses the headset controls on the cable.
• Best if you're on a USB-C iPhone or iPad → neither. Both are Lightning-only.
In my opinion, most people shopping this category should buy the UGREEN Headphone Adapter. The reason is simple: it does everything the Seulliya does for playback, and it also supports in-line control, which keeps your headset mic alive for calls and for Zoom. If your entire use case is sitting back with music, audiobooks or podcasts and you want a spare cable for the car or gym, the Seulliya's dedicated DAC and single-pack approach make it the better fit. Price moves around on both, so check the current price on Amazon before deciding.
FAQ
How to use headphones for iphone
Plug the adapter into your iPhone's Lightning port, then plug your 3.5mm headphones into the adapter's jack. Both units here are plug-and-play with no apps or settings, and both are MFi certified so you shouldn't see a compatibility pop-up.
You can't use either of these on an iPhone 15 — these are Lightning adapters, and the iPhone 15 moved to USB-C. You'd need a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter instead. Note that UGREEN also lists its dongle as incompatible with USB-C iPads for the same reason.
How to use wired headphones for iphone
Same two-step process: adapter into the Lightning port, headphones into the 3.5mm jack. One difference worth knowing — if your wired headset has a mic and inline buttons, only the UGREEN supports in-line control. The Seulliya is listening-only and does not support call or mic functions.
How to use wired headphones for iphone 16
Neither adapter works with an iPhone 16. It's a USB-C phone, and both products here are Lightning-only. Look for a USB-C to 3.5mm dongle, and if you need your headset mic to work, confirm in-line control support before buying.
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